New York S 6946: Authorizes emergency medical care personnel to provide basic first aid to dogs and cats

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S06946 Summary:

BILL NOS06946 

&nbsp

SAME ASNo Same As

&nbsp

SPONSORLANZA

&nbsp

COSPNSR

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

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Amd §3013, add §3019, Pub Health L; amd §§6702, 6703 & 6705, Ed L

&nbsp

Authorizes emergency medical care personnel to provide basic first aid to dogs and cats.

Go to top S06946 Actions:

BILL NOS06946 

&nbsp

03/27/2025REFERRED TO HEALTH

01/07/2026REFERRED TO HEALTH

Go to topS06946 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS06946 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topS06946 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 6946

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN SENATE

 March 27, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by Sen. LANZA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
 printed to be committed to the Committee on Health

 AN ACT to amend the public health law and the education law, in relation
 to authorizing emergency medical service personnel to provide basic
 first aid to cats and dogs under certain circumstances

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. Section 3013 of the public health law is amended by adding
 2 three new subdivisions 7, 8 and 9 to read as follows:
 3 7. No certified first responder, emergency medical technician, or
 4 advanced emergency medical technician acting in accordance with section
 5 three thousand nineteen of this article, nor any ambulance service or
 6 advanced life support first response service of which such person is a
 7 member or employee, who, in the course of responding to an emergency,
 8 renders basic first aid to a dog or cat pursuant to such section, shall
 9 have any civil liability or have any liability for violating article one
 10 hundred thirty-five of the education law, for the provision of such
 11 care, or any damages to or death of any dog or cat alleged to have
 12 occurred by reason of an act or omission in rendering such medical
 13 assistance in an emergency unless it is established that such injuries
 14 were or such death was caused by gross negligence on the part of such
 15 certified first responder, emergency medical technician or advanced
 16 emergency medical technician.
 17 8. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, any licensed
 18 veterinarian who provides off-site instruction, pursuant to section
 19 three thousand nineteen of this article, to any certified first respon-
 20 der, emergency medical technician or advanced emergency medical techni-
 21 cian providing basic first aid to a dog or cat shall not be liable for
 22 damages for injuries or death alleged to have been sustained by any dog
 23 or cat as a result of such instruction unless it is established that

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD11078-01-5

 S. 6946 2

 1 such injuries or death were caused by gross negligence on the part of
 2 such licensed veterinarian.
 3 9. The commissioner of education shall promulgate rules and regu-
 4 lations for the provision of basic first aid to dogs and cats by emer-
 5 gency medical care personnel pursuant to this section.
 6 § 2. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 3019 to
 7 read as follows:
 8 § 3019. Basic first aid to dogs and cats. 1. In the course of respond-
 9 ing to any emergency, a certified first responder, emergency medical
 10 technician or advanced emergency medical technician may, in accordance
 11 with the rules and regulations of the commissioner of education, provide
 12 basic first aid to a dog or cat prior to the transfer of such animal to
 13 the care of a licensed veterinarian. The basic first aid provided to
 14 cats and dogs pursuant to this section shall be limited to the follow-
 15 ing, if the certified first responder, emergency medical technician or
 16 advanced emergency medical technician is able and authorized to provide
 17 such care to a human:
 18 (a) opening and manually maintaining an airway;
 19 (b) providing mouth to mouth or mouth to barrier ventilation;
 20 (c) administering oxygen;
 21 (d) managing ventilation by mask;
 22 (e) controlling hemorrhage with direct pressure;
 23 (f) immobilizing fractures;
 24 (g) bandaging; and
 25 (h) adminis